After immersing himself on the front lines of the Mexican drug war, NYC’s early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Syria, filmmaker Matthew Heineman’s latest journey took him to Afghanistan. Retrograde captures the tumultuous recent period in which America pulled troops out of the conflict-ridden area after 20 years of war.
A harrowing look at the aftermath of the decision and the still ongoing fight against the Taliban, the director captures truly incredible, devastating footage as we see cities fall and the people left behind attempting to flee. Ahead of a theatrical release this week and a bow on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu next month, the first trailer has now landed.
“Like so many of my films, this started as one story and ended up as something very different,” said Heineman. “Ultimately, we hope to provide a deeply intimate and character-driven record of this turning point in American and Afghan history while also offering an emotional reminder of the human costs of war.”
See the trailer.
Retrograde opens in theaters on November 11, airs on National Geographic Channel on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and will then be available to stream on Disney+ on Dec. 9, and Hulu on Dec. 11.